SAN FRANCISCO — Pinterest wants to make finding an image or idea more straightforward than typing out words in a search bar.

On Wednesday, executives for the visual bookmarking site said that the tech firm was releasing three tools aimed at making it easier to search for ideas and purchase products online.

“Traditional search is really great when you have the words to describe exactly what you’re looking for,” said Evan Sharp, Pinterest’s co-founder and chief creative officer. But if you’re having a hard time describing an object such as a table at your friend’s house, “it can be really tough” to find exactly what you’re seeking online, he said.

Users will be able to tap on a circle displayed in an image or “pin” to search for related images. Partnering with retailers such as Target and Neiman Marcus, another tool also lets shoppers find items to buy by clicking on a blue circle on a pair of jeans, shoes and other products. The first feature, called Instant Ideas, is currently available globally and the latter is being launched in the United States.

Pinterest is testing a new product called Lens that lets users search for an image by snapping a photo in real life. (Provided by Pinterest)

The tech firm is also experimenting with a feature called “Lens” that brings users to a list of recommended ideas or similar images once they snap a photo of an item in real life using the Pinterest app.

The tool is being tested in the United States and not only shows users visually similar images, but ideas.

For example, snapping a photo of a terrarium will also surface pins for projects that illustrate to users how to arrange the plants themselves. Take a photo of strawberries and recipe ideas pop up.

“Now you can open a new world of ideas whether you’re scrolling through our app or walking through town,” said Pinterest CEO Ben Silbermann.

But as the tech firm tries to change the way people traditionally search online, it also acknowledges that there’s still more work to be done to make the feature easier to use. The company has about 2 billion text searches monthly, which is far greater than the more than 250 million visual searches the site generates from users.

In the past, other tech firms, including Google and Amazon, have released mobile tools to let users search for images they see in real life, but the features received mixed reviews. Pinterest, though, is trying to recommend to users ideas they can complete in real life, such as cooking a recipe or styling an outfit.

“I think this is a good direction for Pinterest, but visual search is a really tricky area. To get people to switch their search behavior, the tool must serve a clear use case, be easy to use, and work well. I’m pretty confident that the use case is there, but people will only use it if (it) works well,” said Yoram Wurmser, an analyst for eMarketer.

Some companies, such as shoes.com, Houzz and others, have had some success with visual search tools, though, he noted.

Image quality can be a hurdle. People who take photos might end up snapping a blurry shot because of low lighting. And user photos often differ from the high-quality images brands post online.

But the challenge isn’t stopping Pinterest from attempting to link more images with actionable ideas for its more than 150 million users worldwide.

“This technology is just going to get better and better with all of your help.” Silbermann said. “The more people use it, the better the results become, the more we can recommend and inspire ideas to make your everyday life a little bit better.”

Valued at $11 billion, Pinterest allows users to bookmark or “pin” an image to an online board, save a collection of images and follow people with similar interests.

The company generates more than 10 billion recommendations daily on the site.

Queenie Wong covers social media businesses, including Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, for The Mercury News. She grew up in Southern California and is a graduate of Washington and Lee University where she earned bachelor's degrees in journalism and studio art.

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